Program Areas

Program Areas

The Portland Children’s Levy grants funds in 6 program areas as directed by Levy ballot language. Our investments are felt throughout Portland: in preschools, childcare facilities, elementary, middle and high schools, community centers, nonprofit organizations, soccer fields, basketball courts, music auditoriums and parks. In all parts of the city and scores of neighborhoods, Portland’s children are benefiting from the proven programs in which we invest.

Over two-thirds of the children participating in Levy funded programs come from populations and communities that face significant barriers to opportunities such as high quality preschool, enriching after school programs, caring adult mentors, therapeutic supports in times of trauma and crisis, and daily access to nutritious food

Historical policies and practices have a complex and direct relationship with disparities in outcomes for children navigating poverty and children of color. Without equity of opportunities, disparities are perpetuated. Levy-funded programs strive to change this trajectory by offering children opportunities that can prepare them for school, support them to be successful in and out of school, and reduce disparities outcomes between different racial and ethnic groups.